Nia Tero Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Seattle, Washington, established in 2017 and tax-exempt since March 2018. The organization operates as a grantmaking foundation focused on conservation equity and environmental protection. The foundation's work centers on supporting Indigenous Peoples' guardianship of vital ecosystems globally.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$80.6M
-11.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.0M
+20.2% YoY
Grant Count
25
-35.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$159K
+87.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To directly support Indigenous Peoples' guardianship and elevate the role and influence of Indigenous Peoples as essential to ensuring planetary health and habitability.
Vision: Indigenous Peoples' guardianship is enabled everywhere possible on Earth as part of a just and vibrant future.
The foundation's core belief is that the governance systems and cultural wisdom sustained by Indigenous Peoples have significant impact on the health of ecosystems where they live. Funding Indigenous Peoples' guardianship of territories is identified as one of the most effective pathways for protecting Earth's most important ecosystems.
Primary Program Areas:
- Place-anchored partnerships with Indigenous Peoples in geographies central to global well-being
- Initial regional focus includes the Pacific Islands, Amazonia, and North America
- Work with Indigenous Peoples who share collective territories and have strong governance systems
- The Wayfinders Circle initiative, a fellowship of members from across seven socio-cultural regions
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on an invite-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications.
Grant Range
$25,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's support helps protect more than 130 million hectares of lands and waters globally. Primary regional focus includes:
- Pacific Islands
- Amazonia
- North America
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $80,555,234
- Total revenues: $32,904,805
- Total expenses: $42,466,297
- Total liabilities: $5,600,000
Staffing:
- 44 employees (2024)
Additional Financial Notes: According to its December 2024 tax filing, the organization provided first-class or charter travel to key employees or officers.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $80,555,234 | $91,187,634 | $105,816,478 |
| Revenue | $32,904,805 | $26,173,466 | $21,750,393 |
| Expenses | $42,466,297 | $43,070,792 | $33,840,873 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,868,655 | $2,666,866 | $1,754,237 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
175 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PETER SELIGMANN | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $740,282 |
| JOSEPH WILLIAMS | CHAIR | 2 | — |
| MYRNA CUNNINGHAM KAIN | VICE-CHAIR | 2 | — |
| JUPTA ITOEWAKI | DIRECTOR (FROM 10/24) | 2 | — |
| VICTORIA TAULI CORPUZ | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANNE MARIE BURGOYNE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL CROW | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| YO-YO MA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NEMONTE NENQUIMO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRENDA PIPESTEM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KEVIN STARR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NAINOA THOMSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LIAM KOKAUA | DIRECTOR (UNTIL 10/24) | 1 | — |
| TINA-MARIE WILHELM | CHIEF STRATEGY & EXT. AFFAIRS OFF. | 40 | $385,723 |
| CHRISTOPHER FILARDI | CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER | 40 | $356,858 |
| JESSICA SCHROEDER | SR MD, DIR., OPERATIONS | 40 | $276,591 |
| MARGARITA MORA TERAN | SR MD, PARTNERSHIPS | 40 | $279,078 |
| DAVID ROTHSCHILD | SR DIRECTOR, PARTNERSHIPS | 40 | $231,722 |
| DAVID COOK | SR DIR., STRATEGY & PLANNING | 40 | $224,559 |
| LAUREN GUZAUSKAS | MD DIR., DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $241,313 |
| JONATHAN DAVIS | SR DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $227,078 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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